1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for controlling a disk player used for a computer system, and more particularly, to an apparatus for resuming play of a disk from the position at which the disk was stopped.
2. Related Art
A typical computer system comprises a display unit (e.g., a monitor), a main body containing a central processing unit (CPU) and data storage devices (e.g., disk drive) in a separate enclosure, and input devices such as a keyboard. This architecture is commonly used in "desk-top" personal computer systems, work stations, terminals and the like. The display unit, the keyboard and the main body containing all the essential circuitry of the computer may be integrated in a single, deployable portable housing structure, typically referred to as "lap-top" computers. Keyboard is connected to the main body through a connector cable to control operation of the computer. The disk drive is configured to record/playback a disk such as a digital video disk (DVD), an audio compact disk (CD), and a video compact disk (CD) on which audio data as well as moving picture data compressed in accordance with MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standard is recorded. Many computer systems have a suspend/resume function which permits the entire operational status of the system to be saved when the power is turned off, and to be restored when the power is turned back on. However, the suspend/resume function does not extend to disk players. When the playing of an audio or video disk is stopped or turned off, the disk must be replayed from the beginning of the disk. Thus, if the user wishes to play from the position at which the audio or video disk was stopped or interrupted, the position must be found before resumption.
Recent efforts to resume the playback from the position at which the audio or video disk was stopped or interrupted can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,502 for Optical Disc Player Having A Resume Function issued to Misono, U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,527 for Method And Apparatus Facilitating Use Of A Hard Disk Drive In A Computer System Having Suspend/Resume Capability issued to Fakhuruddin et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,601 for CD-ROM Disc Reproducing Apparatus With Means For Storing Progression Data Of A Control Means issued to Yanagisawa, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,761,519 for Portable Computer Having A Removable Medium Drive And A Resume Setting Function issued to Wada et al. However, I have observed that none is singularly adapted to accommodate multiple disks with different type of identification data structure.